Maler Friedrich Jagemann aus Weimar before 1849

Johann Peter Krafft sketched "Maler Friedrich Jagemann aus Weimar" using a pencil. This portrait offers a glimpse into the world of early 19th-century European artistry and society, capturing Friedrich Jagemann, a painter from Weimar. Krafft, situates Jagemann within the rising bourgeois class, evidenced by his attire—the top hat, tailored coat, and neatly tied neckcloth speak to a certain level of social standing. Yet, these signifiers of class are subtly disrupted. Jagemann's slightly disheveled appearance and the inclusion of a pipe hint at the romanticized image of the artist as an individual set apart from the strictures of bourgeois life. It's fascinating to consider how Krafft navigates the tension between portraying Jagemann as a member of the bourgeoisie and celebrating his identity as an artist. In this way the artwork is a negotiation between social identity and artistic persona.